Episode 12 Celebrity MasterChef

It's Celebrity MasterChef.

We've got 16 celebs all hoping to show off their cooking talent.

If you don't push yourself, you'll never know how good you are.

They've proved themselves in their own profession. Now let's see if they can cut it in the kitchen.

I'm feeling really good this morning. I'm really surprised that I'm here.

It's extremely important I do well. It's a knock-out stage.

Cooking doesn't get tougher than this.

Throughout this week, these three celebrities have been through

the most intense cooking challenges of their lives.

But after today, only the best can go through.

There are times in the competition when the contestants have to deliver.

Today is one of those days.

They'll have to cook like they've never cooked before.

Welcome. You're not just cooking for John and I today.

We have invited three special guest judges,

people that understand MasterChef because they were in it.

In fact, two of them won the competition.

At the end of today, one of you will be leaving the competition.

Ladies and gentlemen...let's cook!

The contestants have just one hour and 15 minutes to cook a two-course meal.

They're going to have to impress three exceptional finalists who have come before them.

If something's undercooked, that's not good enough.

If something's overcooked, that's not good enough.

I just want to get a sense that they want it,

they're hungry for it and they're taking this seriously.

I just want to see some nice food.

I want to see that someone's really cared about what they've done today.

Emma Kennedy, Andi Peters and the big Phil Vickery.

Those three around a table...

I tell you what, it had better be good.

I'm really enjoying this competition.

I've had ups and downs.

I think after the second day I wanted to go home.

But when I produced that cheesecake, I looked at it and thought,

"What spirit entered my body and made me present that so well?"

Today, I'm going to approach the pressure by thinking as an actor.

I am acting as a chef

and I'm a method actor and I'm going to make sure I get the method right.

Tell us what you're going to cook for us.

Warm salad of black pudding on a caramelised apple

which is caramelised in plenty of Calvados

and topped with a soft poached egg,

and then cod with a parsley crust on a bed of mashed potato with Chantenay carrots.

-It's very adventurous and we haven't yet seen a good savoury dish from you.

-No, you haven't.

But I hope these flavours work well and I can cook them.

I'm really pleased you're still here. You battled yesterday and I'm looking forward to good food.

-Thank you very much.

-Cheers.

He's got a starter - black pudding with pickled apples. Lovely idea.

He's adding to that egg.

Apples and egg is my issue. Not just flavour-wise, but texturally.

For the main course, Les is doing cod with a herb crust on mashed potato and lemon sauce.

All wonderful as long as he's cooked the fish properly, he gets the herb crust to stay on,

the mashed potato has no lumps and the lemon isn't overpowering.

When I started this, I had a goal.

I would like to be at least a finalist in Celebrity MasterChef,

so I've kind of got tunnel vision.

-I think it looks proper handsome.

-All right.

Today, I'm feeling good.

It's going to look good, it's going to taste good and it's going to be impressive.

Tell me what your dishes are.

-I'm going to do vegetable jambalaya with Cajun prawns and a spicy strawberry coulis.

-Are you nuts?

-No.

-Strawberries and prawns?

-Yeah.

-I've been doing MasterChef a long time.

-Yeah.

-There might be a good reason why I've never seen this combination.

-It's more like a sauce.

It's not like strawberry you'd have on a dessert. It's going to have more depth.

-Your other dish is...?

-Honey and lavender creme brulee.

-Now, that sounds good.

-Tricky menu - prawn and strawberry and a creme brulee. You're pushing yourself.

I don't want to be just OK. I want to stand out. I want to be seen as very good.

-Good luck.

-Bye-bye.

Speech has got two very interesting courses - jambalaya, a big pot full of stewed vegetables,

with spiced prawns, wonderful idea.

Why the strawberries? I have no idea.

Strawberries and prawns do not go together. I don't want to eat a strawberry with a prawn.

A creme brulee flavoured with lavender and honey is wonderful,

but a creme brulee, she either gets the mix absolutely right and it sets or it doesn't.

And there's no going back from it.

Time flies when you're having fun.

30 minutes on your first course. Half an hour left.

My performances so far in this competition, I've been a little bit rushed, a little bit panicky.

Get yourselves organised and then we can go.

I woke up at two o'clock this morning, so the pressure must be telling.

Matthew, excuse me, but by the looks of your ingredients,

we're off to a nation far away.

Yes, we're off to Asia.

Ah! And what are our two dishes?

We have scallops and king prawns on a bed of mango salsa

and pan-fried duck breast with stir-fry and an orange and sesame sauce.

That's a move away from Yorkshire.

It's a move away from Yorkshire and it's a move away from the stodge of yesterday's home comfort food.

Hopefully, this will be more aromatic and a lot more sensitive on the palate.

-Is presentation a problem for you?

-Arty-farty is not my strongest suit, but I'm working on my presentation.

I'm in to win and, hopefully, I can put something out on the table that all the judges like.

Matthew's starter is scallops and prawns, served with a mango salsa.

I think it's an interesting idea, but why are we putting fruit with hot fish? It's just not right.

Les, you have just eight minutes before your first course.

So, Les's starter - warm salad of pancetta, caramelised apple and black pudding,

topped with a poached egg and French dressing.

I think he's taking a big risk because it's a warm salad.

-You can't hide with a salad.

-No.

-It's going to have to be brilliant.

That French dressing has got to take me to Paris.

Breathe, Les. Breathe.

I'm breathing. Just erratically.

He's hyperventilating.

I like this, Les.

-I really do, mate. Nice dish.

-Thank you.

Come on, mate. Let's go. Eggs still. Eggs.

Eggs.

-Go on, Les.

-Look at that!

-Yeah!

Wow, I'm impressed, Les. Well done, mate. That's it.

-That's great.

-Go on. Well done.

-Thank you.

-Very well done. Good lad.

-Good afternoon.

-Hello.

-Hello.

What you have here is a warm salad

of black pudding on caramelised apple,

some pancetta on a bed of rocket with a French dressing and a soft poached egg on top.

-Thank you very much, Les.

-Thank you. Enjoy. Thank you.

The smells are fantastic. It makes me want to eat it.

I'm now more worried, having seen an egg on top of an apple, that it's not going to work

than when I read it on the menu.

Let's hope it tastes great.

Poached egg and apple just does not work.

-It's a weird combination.

-I think I like it more than you.

I like the dressing. It cuts through nicely.

You do get the earthiness from the black pudding.

I have to say, he's got me. I just love the combination of the apple, the bacon, the black pudding

and for me, you cannot beat a beautifully cooked poached egg.

I love it. I think it's fantastic. Well done, Les.

I don't mind the egg around the sweet and sharp apple, the salty bacon and the black pudding.

-It's delicate, light and a rather tasty combination.

-An apple and an egg, sorry, it does not work.

You can put as much Calvados in as you like and get me as drunk as you want but apple and egg doesn't work.

Les, well done, but you've now got 15 minutes to get your main out.

Cod fillet with parsley crust with lemon butter sauce, served on creamy mashed potato and Chantenay carrots.

My worry is I think that could be bland.

-Final minute, Les.

-OK.

Let's go. Fish to go, sauce to go, carrots to go.

Breathe, Les, breathe. Breathe, breathe, breathe.

-Come on. Carrots and sauce, carrots and sauce.

-Carrots and sauce.

-Is it just sauce to go now?

-Sauce to go, yeah.

Two minutes over now, Les. Two minutes over.

Now you can go.

Good. The plate looks a little bare.

-Sorry it's a little late.

-Don't worry.

Guys, what you have is sustainable cod fillet

with a parsley crust on a bed of mashed potato

with a lemon butter sauce and some Chantenay carrots.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

-Bye, Les.

-Enjoy.

You can clearly see that he has thought about his plate

and how to present his plate and he gets points for that from me.

The fish is cooked brilliantly.

Everything else is a bit under-seasoned, so the dish lacks punch.

I agree with you. It's just a lack of seasoning and I'd love to have had a hint more lemon in the sauce.

But the king of the dish for me is the parsley crust.

The mash, however, is lovely and buttery and really great.

The cod is cooked perfectly and the parsley crust is wonderful.

I think at this stage he's done really well, really well.

-Tasty, yummy.

-Well seasoned, well flavoured, zingy and really rich with lovely butter. Not bad at all.

HE SIGHS

I feel good. I think it looked OK.

For me, that's a big leap, a big step up.

-Are you ready to go?

-I think so.

Speech is making a vegetable jambalaya with Cajun prawns and a spicy strawberry coulis.

That sounds interesting, doesn't it?

This has got to be a typo. She can't be doing a strawberry coulis.

It's going to be one of those things

-where it's either going to be utterly amazing or it's going to be "ranko Acapulco".

-I'm worried.

Look at that, you are clever.

Clever!

Don't forget, extra strawberry sauce for John.

-I love that.

-Yeah, I think it looks beautiful.

-Speech, well done. OK, let's go. Off you go.

-Brilliant, brilliant.

We've got a bowl of sweet perfume.

-Well...

-Don't even start, Wallace. Don't even start telling me that strawberries go with prawns.

You're getting too old. All these new-fangled ideas are leaving you behind. I'm down with the kids, me.

We have vegetable jambalaya, Cajun prawns

and there's a very spicy strawberry dipping sauce, so it's up to you.

I like it. Strawberries and prawns? I think it's good.

-Thank you very much.

-Enjoy your meal.

-Thank you.

The prawns look beautiful, you've got the red against the white,

then you have the little experience going on here, the waft, the smells.

I am genuinely excited.

I'm speechless!

-It's lovely.

-It's really lovely.

I think the prawns are exquisite. The sauce is a revelation.

And I love the vegetable jambalaya. Look, I've covered myself in her sauce!

I was so worried about this strawberry coulis with Cajun prawns.

I have to say, genuinely, she's got away with it. It's fantastic.

No... No.

We've got lovely cooked rice with vegetables, spiced prawns with wonderful chilli on the outside,

spread with strawberry jam. Eugh!

-I like the flavour of prawns with the strawberry sauce. It's sweet and peppery. I like it.

-Get out of here!

Speech's dessert, honey and lavender creme brulee.

That, for me, is beautiful. I can't wait for that. I love creme brulee.

Honey and lavender are both really subtle flavours,

so we've got to be able to taste both without either overpowering.

Number one, it needs to have set properly and, number two, I want a proper crispy topping.

Two minutes, Speech. Two minutes. It looks great.

-Happy?

-Yeah.

-Good job, Speech. Good job.

-Well done, you.

All right...

-If it's not curdled and it's full of lavender, it should be delicious.

-It looks like she's made it work to me.

We have a honey and lavender creme brulee.

ANDI: Lovely. Thank you very much.

We're not supposed to tell you, but your prawns were awesome.

-Respect! Thank you.

-Really delicious.

-Thank you.

-Thank you. Well done.

It looks what a creme brulee should look like, so this is the acid test.

Is there a crack and a crunch and can we taste honey and lavender?

I'd say that was a crack.

Sadly, it looks like scrambled egg simply because it's split which is a shame,

but it could still taste really nice.

You can certainly taste the honey and the lavender.

The combination, the balance for me is really nice.

It's such a shame that it has split because it could have been perfect.

I love the flavours of Speech's dessert, but the issue is that has curdled.

That's a curdled creme brulee. It's just a bowl of baked custard and it's overcooked.

The cream has started to curdle. However, it tastes divine.

I'm relieved that it's over.

I'm relieved that I got the dishes out on time.

I'm just like... This is so not Jamaican of me, man.

It's just out there on time, you know?

It's like... Man, I'm happy about that.

-How long have we got?

-Eight minutes.

Matthew's starter - scallop and king prawn with mango and chilli salsa in a Thai curry sauce.

I love the sound of that.

For me, the scallop and the king prawn has to be the king. That's the showpiece.

Loving it! I'm loving it!

They look good.

Come on then, mate. Time's up. You've got to get this up and out.

Quick, quick, quick. Let's go.

Good, good, good. Good work.

-Yeah, we're happy.

-Can I take them?

-Yes, please.

I like that. I do like that, mate. Nice colour.

-Hi.

-Are you full yet?

-No, we've saved ourselves for you.

Saved the best till last. Oh, hello!

We have scallops and a king prawn on a bed of spiced mango salsa with a Thai curry sauce.

-I hope you enjoy it.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

The plate looks great. The sauce looks a little bit wishy-washy. I'm not quite sure why it's there.

The issues I have with it... I'm not convinced that scallop is going to be cooked.

-No, look, completely...

-Yeah, that's under.

-That's very, very under.

-That's practically still in the shell.

-My scallops are OK.

I prefer them like that than I would overcooked.

It's chopped mango, chopped onion and chopped chilli with some undercooked scallops and a nicely cooked prawn.

Do you know what it reminds me of? Airline food.

Sorry, I don't like it. We have got scallop with an unripe mango, a chilli that's not hot enough.

And the whole thing is just a bit..."pfth".

Very confused flavours.

Creamy coconut sauce one side, scallops and sharp onions the other. And they don't match.

Seven and a half minutes and you haven't started to stir-fry the veg.

Matthew, you need to get a move on.

Matthew's main - roasted Gressingham duck breast, roasted sweet potatoes,

stir-fried vegetables, orange and sesame sauce.

That's big Phil, really, on a plate.

Three and a half minutes, Matthew.

I hate puddles on plates. He's got all sorts of things that make puddles.

The duck could not be rested - puddle. The stir-fry could have too much oil in it - puddle.

The sauce - puddle. Quite frankly, we could be singing in the rain.

-How are you doing?

-I'm struggling to get everything out on time.

Two and a half minutes, please.

Nice.

I hope they're hungry. Big portion.

Well, Phil will be happy.

-Is that the last thing to go on?

-Yes.

Well, Matthew, you're on time. Very good. Well done, you.

Hi.

For your main course, you have pan-fried breast of duck

with roasted sweet potato and a stir-fry with orange and sesame sauce.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

Mine looks great, but I don't think I've got any sauce on my plate.

I've got a puddle of sauce which I'm happy to share with you, so thou shalt not go without.

I'm noticing that the fat has not rendered down, so I don't think that's going to be crispy

and if there's one thing I can't bear with duck, it's when the skin isn't crispy.

The duck tastes of nothing other than chewing. I think he's forgotten to season the duck.

I'm not sure about the sweet potato. The vegetables lack a little bit of something.

That's not quite right and altogether, it's a disappointment.

-It's just a bit insipid.

-Yeah.

-It's like wallpaper, edible wallpaper.

-It's just background.

-I'm upset because I think it's flavourless.

No... For all the work that's gone into this dish, it doesn't taste of anything.

The duck's not seasoned very well. The vegetables aren't very nice.

It's all a bit...flim-flam.

I don't know what on earth he has put in those stir-fried vegetables.

It tastes of a cross between a fruit lolly and vinegar.

-It's sweet chilli sauce.

-Sweet chilli sauce with sesame?

-Yeah, and orange.

-And orange?

-Yeah.

-He's nuts.

Hot, sweaty, glad that that's over.

A mad rush and a mad panic at the end.

Hopefully, the food will taste better than it looked.

-Pretty decent standard of food today.

-Some odd combinations, though. Let's be fair about it.

We had strawberry sauce with prawns, mango and lime and chilli with some scallops and we had apple and egg.

Weird combinations.

I'm really pleased with Les Dennis. I liked his salad.

It was very tasty and it looked quite elegant.

I don't believe the apple belonged on the plate.

The main course of cod on lovely mash, nice, lemony butter sauce.

It tasted good. Well cooked cod.

Something's happened to Les. He's a really different man.

I am now having fun.

There was a point in the middle of the week where I wanted to run away. I'm glad I didn't.

I think Speech's jambalaya looked fantastic - three prawns in the middle of the plate.

-You're the only one who didn't like the strawberry sauce.

-Good.

I'm the only one who knows how to taste food properly, obviously!

Speech's creme brulee was beginning to curdle.

It wasn't a smooth, silky finish, but I thought the flavour of lavender and honey was delightful.

It's an experience of a lifetime.

I hope I'm not going home. I don't want to go home yet.

Matthew puts a lot of work into this competition.

He really does get his nut down and work hard.

I didn't mind the mango salsa.

I wasn't quite sure what that brown, coconut cream sauce was doing on there as well.

I liked a lot of aspects of Matthew's main course of duck,

but quite what he had dressed those vegetables in is beyond me.

It was just ghastly. I can't put it any other way.

Right now, he's being a little bit over-ambitious. He's trying too much too soon.

Very annoying to wait. I really want to know.

The worrying is always the hard bit and you deal with whatever happens when you find out.

As you know, we can only take the best cooks with us.

And one of you is leaving the competition. We've made our decision.

The contestant leaving us is...

..Matthew.

Cheers. Cheers.

Cheers. Thank you.

Obviously, very disappointed.

I wouldn't say I was proud of myself. I'd have been proud if I'd got a little bit further.

I'm gutted to be leaving, but I've really enjoyed my time on the show. If I could do it again, I would.

Congratulations. You two are through to the next round.

I feel really emotional.

I'm surprised and delighted.

I'm absolutely so thrilled. I'm welling up, I really am.

I feel great. I'm really proud of myself.

I think I made my peeps proud, yes.

-Speech, Les...

-Thank you.

-Well done.

That's fantastic.

The heats are over. Next week, the best eight celebrities fight for their place.

There's a medieval army waiting for their lunch.

We'll have to delay the dinner for 15 minutes because you're way behind.

Only 149 to go!

Ooh!

I think this is just a couple of notches down from brilliant.

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